Top 10 Best Places to Retire

Discover the best retirement destinations in the country based on quality of life, things to do and affordability.

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A couple bikes at Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara, California.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Visit Santa Barbara/Jay Sinclair

Ranking Criteria

Health-care spending

Cost of living

Percentage of people age 60 and older

Crime rate

Weather

Parks

Walkability

Golf courses

Air quality

Retirement. Ten thousand baby boomers a day are reaching that point in their lives. Getting to retirement is the culmination of many decisions and, ideally, a long-standing series of life and financial plans. One of the key questions, of course, is where should you live when you retire? Livability's ranking of the Best Places to Retire is a list of 10 varied cities throughout the U.S. Sure, many will decide to retire in place and stay rooted in the communities they've invested in over the years. Some will have financial or health considerations to weigh. Many others will have their retirement decisions driven by their family needs – grandkids can be powerful lures and mighty anchors. For those with freedom to move, however, we've crunched the numbers on 10 great retirement destinations.

We analyzed data on characteristics of livability that our research has shown are especially important to seniors: access to affordable and quality health care, climate and air quality, crime rates, cost of living and access to activities and, well, golf. We also looked for areas with high concentrations of senior citizens, of course. Once the data were in, our editors narrowed down the shortlist to make sure we had a great mix of cities. Whether you're looking for a traditional warm-weather getaway or a city with a more seasonal climate, we can help you plan a great retirement relocation.

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Best Places to Live

Livability explores what makes small-to-medium sized cities great places to live. Through proprietary research studies of data points, we examine topics that are important to residents and relocators alike: community, amenities, growth, diversity, education, health care, resident engagement, transportation, housing, and economy. We then leverage that expertise to develop city rankings for a range of topics including small towns, college towns and our annual Top 100 Best Places to Live.